How to Delete S3 Files Automatically After 30 Days

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To delete S3 files automatically after 30 days, you'll need to use a combination of AWS services, specifically S3 and Lambda.

S3 is an object storage service that allows you to store and serve large amounts of data.

You can use S3 lifecycle policies to automate the deletion of objects after a specified period.

For example, you can set a lifecycle policy to delete objects in a specific bucket after 30 days.

This will save you time and effort in managing your S3 files and ensure they don't accumulate unnecessary data.

For more insights, see: Aws Data Pipeline S3 Athena

Configuring S3 Lifecycle Rules

To configure S3 lifecycle rules, you need to go to the S3 Bucket AWS Console and click on your bucket. From there, you can create a new lifecycle rule by clicking on "Create lifecycle rule." This will allow you to specify the action you want to take, such as deleting noncurrent versions of objects.

You can use lifecycle configurations in many scenarios to help manage your storage costs and optimize your usage. Some prominent use cases include automatically moving old objects to a lower-cost storage class, deleting old objects, aborting incomplete multipart uploads, and keeping track of your data retention policies.

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A lifecycle configuration contains a set of rules, and each rule has four components: ID, Filters, Status, and Actions. The ID is a unique identifier for the rule, Filters determine which objects the rule applies to, Status indicates whether the rule is enabled or disabled, and Actions specify what happens to the objects.

You can select the scope on which the rule will be applied, such as all objects in the bucket or objects with a specific prefix. You can also specify when an object is considered to be non-current, with a minimum value of 1 day.

Here are the six main actions you can use in an S3 lifecycle configuration:

  1. Transition: Automatically move old data to a lower-cost storage tier.
  2. Expiration: Automate the deletion of your objects in S3.
  3. NoncurrentVersionExpiration: Remove noncurrent versions of your object.
  4. NoncurrentVersionTransition: Transition between noncurrent versions of your object.
  5. ExpiredObjectDeleteMarker: Delete expired object delete markers.
  6. AbortIncompleteMultipartUpload: Clean up incomplete multipart uploads.

You can use these actions to automate various tasks, such as deleting old objects, transitioning data to a lower-cost storage class, and aborting incomplete multipart uploads.

Understanding S3 Lifecycle Rules

A lifecycle rule is a set of instructions that tells Amazon S3 what to do with objects in your bucket after a certain period of time.

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A lifecycle rule is made up of four components: ID, Filters, Status, and Actions. ID is a unique identifier for the rule, Filters determine which objects the rule applies to, Status indicates whether the rule is enabled or not, and Actions specify what happens to the objects.

You can use lifecycle rules to automatically move old objects to a lower-cost storage class, such as S3 Standard-IA, after a certain period of time, like 30 days.

Here are some common use cases for lifecycle rules:

Lifecycle rules are not executed on current versions of objects, only non-current versions. This means that if you have a lifecycle rule that deletes old objects, it will only delete the non-current versions of those objects, not the current ones.

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S3 Storage and Data Management

You can create a lifecycle configuration on an S3 bucket using the AWS Console, CLI, SDKs, or Rest API.

To create a lifecycle configuration, you'll need to create a demo S3 bucket and download some sample log data.

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The lifecycle configuration you'll create will transition new log data from the S3 Standard to Glacier Deep Archive after 30 days to store for compliance purposes.

You can select the "Apply to all objects in the bucket" rule scope option to apply the lifecycle rule to all the log data in the bucket.

If you select the other option, you'll be able to filter objects by prefix, object tags, object size, or whatever combination suits your use case.

The lifecycle rule actions allow you to move current versions of objects between storage classes and expire current versions of objects.

You can select the storage class and days to transition, such as transitioning to Glacier Deep Archive after 30 days.

You can also select the days to expire the objects after the retention period is over, such as expiring after 7 years.

After creating the rule, you can review the rule transition and actions and then create it.

Once the rule is created, you can see it in the Management tab and edit, enable, or disable it as needed.

To avoid incurring unnecessary AWS charges, be sure to delete the demo lifecycle rule and S3 bucket when you're finished with the demo.

S3 Lifecycle Configuration Components

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An S3 lifecycle configuration contains a set of rules. A rule is made up of four components: ID, Filters, Status, and Actions.

The ID is a unique identifier for the rule, which helps to identify it in the configuration. Filters determine which objects the rule applies to, and can be based on prefix, object tags, object size, or other criteria.

Status is a simple yes or no flag that indicates whether the rule is enabled or disabled. Actions, on the other hand, specify what happens to the objects that match the rule's filters.

Here are the four components of an S3 lifecycle configuration in a concise table:

By understanding these four components, you can create effective S3 lifecycle configurations that meet your specific needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does S3 automatically delete expired objects?

Yes, S3 automatically deletes expired objects, but only after queuing them for removal and removing them asynchronously. This process is permanent and irreversible, so make sure to review your lifecycle configuration carefully.

Danny Orlandini

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Danny Orlandini is a passionate writer, known for his engaging and thought-provoking blog posts. He has been writing for several years and has developed a unique voice that resonates with readers from all walks of life. Danny's love for words and storytelling is evident in every piece he creates.

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